The short answer
A BLDV dryer that has turned noisy is telling you which of its rotating parts has worn, and the noise itself names the part. On this family the drum support and the blower are the two that wear first, which puts them above the belt in the order the brand-generic page uses.
What you observe
- A rattle or buzz that changes with the load — Something loose in the drum or a coin in the blower housing, and it comes and goes.
- A scraping noise at one point per turn — Something caught between the drum and the bulkhead, which will mark the drum if left.
- A thump once per drum revolution — A flat spot on a support or a seam catching, and it is regular rather than random.
- Noise only when the drum is loaded — Weight loading a worn support, which is quiet when the drum is empty.
- NEAR MISS - noise with no heat — Two faults or one; if the clothes are also cold, read the heating page as well.
Causes, most likely first on BLDV
- Worn drum rollers or glides — Ranked first on the BLDV family: this family carries the drum on supports that wear slowly and evenly, so the noise arrives gradually rather than overnight. These codes share a drum, a blower and a heater arrangement, so a finding on one is worth assuming on the rest. What moves against the brand-generic order is lower down: belt glazed, frayed or the idler pulley worn sits above something loose in the drum or caught at the bulkhead here, because this family is a single build with fixed access points.
- Blower wheel obstruction or a worn blower bearing — Second: coins and buttons that get past the lint filter end up in the blower housing on this platform, where they rattle at speed.
- Belt glazed, frayed or the idler pulley worn — Third: the idler carries constant tension on this family and squeals when its bearing dries out, usually loudest from cold.
- Something loose in the drum or caught at the bulkhead — Fourth: the cheapest cause and the one to rule out first, because it needs no tools and explains a sudden change.
- Motor bearing wear — Last: last: a motor that has genuinely worn its bearings usually shows other symptoms first, such as a slow start.
Check in this order, and why
- Empty the drum and turn it by hand with the power off — A rumble or a catch you can feel by hand localises the fault before anything comes apart.
- Check the lint filter housing and the blower for hard objects — Coins reach the blower through the filter housing and are the common rattle.
- Listen for whether the noise follows drum speed or motor speed — Drum speed points at rollers and glides; motor speed points at the blower or the motor itself.
- Note whether the noise fades as the machine warms — A squeal that disappears after a few minutes is nearly always the belt or the idler.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A thermal protection device that has opened is replaced with the correct part, and only after the restriction that opened it has been cleared: it opened for a reason, and that reason is still there.
When to call a technician
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Clearing the drum and the filter housing is owner work. A roller, belt or blower change means the cabinet opens, and on this family the drum has to be lifted out to reach any of them.
Other BLDV pages
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
